NDMS student dies after head-on collision

Monday

Feb 18, 2013 at 10:32 AMFeb 18, 2013 at 3:03 PM

A 14-year-old passenger has died from the injuries she sustained in a traffic accident Sunday evening in Welcome.

BY DARRICK IGNASIAKThe Dispatch

A 14-year-old passenger has died from the injuries she sustained in a traffic accident Sunday evening in Welcome.Katlin Dawn Combs of Allen Drive was pronounced dead upon arrival at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, said Pam Kearns, a spokeswoman with the N.C. Highway Patrol.The head-on collision occurred at 7:01 p.m. on Welcome-Bethesda Road near Hinkle Lane, according to the Highway Patrol.Phillip Robert Eisenman IV, 22, of Grove Park Lane, was making a left turn onto Welcome-Bethesda Road. Troopers, Kearns said, believe Eisenman, while driving a 2010 Chevrolet passenger vehicle, failed to stop at the stop sign, cut the corner and struck a 1999 Dodge passenger vehicle head-on.The Dodge, driven by Mark Allen Vestal, 38, of Hoover Road, was traveling on Welcome-Bethesda Road. Vestal had two passengers in his vehicle, his son, Brandon Wayne Vestal, age and address unavailable, and Katlin.All occupants, according to the Highway Patrol, were not wearing seat belts.The four were transported to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem. Eisenman was in serious condition. Mark Vestal was in fair condition, and there was no information available for Brandon Vestal, a hospital spokeswoman said Monday.Eisenman has been charged with driving while impaired, and additional charges are pending. Charges are pending against Mark Vestal because no passengers were restrained, Kearns said.The spokeswoman said the Highway Patrol is working with the Davidson County District Attorney’s Office regarding the case, which is standard procedure in any accident involving a fatality.Kearns said Katlin was a student at North Davidson Middle School and identified her as a family friend of the Vestals.Katlin, along with her stepfather, Dustin, mother Vickie Litteral, 12-year-old sister Mary and 5-month-old brother Aydan lived at the Allen Drive residence of Glenn Martin. Martin has known Katlin for two years.“She was a great girl, a fantastic girl,” he said. “She excelled in school.”Katlin was on her way home Sunday evening after visiting a friend in Welcome when tragedy struck, Martin said.“I am upset. She was a young girl.”NDMS Principal Angie Kiger released this statement Monday afternoon.“We are deeply saddened by the loss of Katlin Combs, eighth-grade student at North Davidson Middle School who was involved in a car accident,” the statement read. “Our focus is in supporting the family and the students and staff at North Davidson Middle School. Guidance counselors, social workers and support staff are on campus (Monday) morning to provide counseling and support for the staff and students. “We are asking our school community for their thoughts and prayers for Katlin’s family and for our family of students and staff at North Davidson Middle School.”Vickie Litteral said Katlin was the daughter of Jason Bates. She said Katlin was visiting Mark Vestal’s 16-year-old daughter Sunday, and her daughter had just called her at 6:49 p.m. to let her know she was five minutes from home.“She was a wonderful little girl,” the mother said. “She was very smart, had a lot of friends, and she was loved by everybody.”The mother said she remains in shock concerning her daughter’s death. She said her daughter had dreams of being a veterinarian and was studying real hard to keep her grades up.“We have a lot of support from the school, and the school teachers have been calling here,” Vickie Litteral said.Dustin Litteral was trying to come to terms Monday afternoon with his family’s loss.“Even though she wasn’t mine, she was special to me,” he said. “She meant a lot to me. She was like my baby boy that I just had. She was very special to me.”Mitzi Taylor, who was with Katlin’s family Monday, said her 14-year-old daughter had been friends with Katlin for about three years. She recalled Combs calling her “mama Mitzi.”“Katlin was very spunky, very spunky, didn’t meet a stranger,” she said. “She was a teenager … very outspoken. She was true to herself.”The Midway and Welcome volunteer fire departments, as well as Davidson County Emergency Medical Services, responded to the accident.

Darrick Ignasiak can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 217, or at darrick.ignasiak@the-dispatch.com.

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.